1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to locking devices for locking a tree stand in place in a tree, thereby preventing an unattended tree stand from being stolen.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Throughout history, hunters have climbed trees in wait of prey. By climbing a tree, a hunter leaves the typical line of sight of most walking animals. Furthermore, the hunter elevates the source of his/her scent so the scent is not strong at ground level. This greatly increases the likelihood that an animal will approach the location of the hunter, while still being unaware of the hunter.
Although many tree stands are built in trees using wood, many hunters use commercially available tree stands that are prefabricated. In this manner, a hunter can carry the tree stand to different places depending upon the season and hunting conditions. Most prefabricated tree stands provide a seating surface  that connects to the main trunk of the tree. The tree stand typically connects to the tree with straps, so as to be easily removable and not to cause damage to the tree.
Hunters often place their tree stands in trees and leave the tree stand. This is especially true in places with a short hunting season, where hunters tend to leave the tree stand in a tree for the duration of the hunting season. This marks the tree and prevents other hunters from setting their tree stands in that same tree. After setting a tree stand in place, a hunter may go home for an evening or a few days, intending to return to the tree stand at a later time. Accordingly, it is not unusual to come across an unattended tree stand in tree, especially during hunting season.
Since tree stands are left unattended, it should come as no surprise that some tree stands do get stolen. This can be done by criminals, competitors, vandals or animal rights activists. To help prevent such thefts from occurring, locking devices have been developed to help retain the tree stand in place. Such prior art locking devices are exemplified by U.S.  Pat. No. 6,390,239 to McClain, entitled Tree Stand Theft Prevention Devices.
A problem associated with prior art tree stand locking devices, such as that shown in the McClain patent, is that the locking device itself is bolted into the tree using a common lag bolt and a wrench. A lock then obstructs access to the head of the lag bolt, so that a thief with a wrench cannot remove the bolt from the tree. However, to install such a lock system, a hunter must drive a large lag bolt into the side of a tree at an elevated position. This cannot be done without a wrench. As such, the hunter must carry wrench with him that will be used to drive the lag bolt into the tree. The wrench must be carried up into the tree and used while elevated in the tree. This often proves to be both difficult and dangerous.
A need therefore exists for an improved tree stand lock that can be installed and removed without tools. In this manner, the installation and removal of the tree stand can be made faster, easier and safer. This need is met by the present invention as described and claimed below. 